Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

Naval, Maritime, Australian History and more

Mackenzie J Gregory

Cpl Harold LePlastrier Jackson board the SS Matunga as a civil servant when it was sunk by the German raider Wolf

April 21, 2010 6:27 AM

Hi,

I came across your website while trying to find information and photos of my great-grandfather, Corporal Harold Leplastrier Jackson. He was aboard the SS Matunga as a civil servant when it was sunk by the German raider
Wolf, and was taken back to Germany as a POW where he spent a few years in Gustrow. Apparently he was part of
the POW theatre group "Bing Boys" in the camp, but I can't find any photos of him in which he is identified.

Any ideas how I might be able to find things like this?

I'm living in Berlin, Germany and I speak German, so any resources you might know of in German are fine with me.
I would also be interested in going to Gustrow to see it for myself. Do you know if there's any memorial there on
the former location of the camp?

I really look forward to hearing from you, and thanks a lot in advance!

Jenni

Jenni,

In the new book: The Wolf by Richard Guilliatt and Peter Hohnen published by William Heinemann 2009, at page 320
your Great Grandfather is listed under Matunga.

Prisoners of the Germans
"One slice of bread in the morning"
I am a Kriegsgefangener
I wish that I were dead
It's all through drinking sauerkraut
And eating mouldy bread.
Written by a Kriegsgefangener - a prisoner of war

Officer camp, Gustrow, Germany, 1918: The "Bing Boys", a
theatrical troupe. "The Germans were highly delighted with
our entertaining . and always insisted on us getting them
photographed."
P01981.038

This
site was created as a resource for educational use and the promotion of
historical awareness. All rights of publicity of the individuals named herein
are expressly reserved, and, should be respected consistent with the reverence
in which this memorial site was established.